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Saunders vs Monroe Jr: “I’ll Make Saunders Pay For Mouthing Off”

Willie Monroe Jr is prepared to make Billy Joe Saunders pay for shouting his mouth off.

The two southpaws battle it out for Billy Joe’s WBO middleweight crown at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday night, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Saunders has been shooting from the lip in the build-up, questioning the manner of Monroe’s loss against Gennady Golovkin in May 2015.

“Billy Joe is a good fighter, but his talking is going to make his ass whipping worse,” warned 30-year-old Monroe Jr.

Since losing in six rounds to GGG, American Monroe Jr has bounced back with points wins against John Thompson and Gabe Rosado.

Although he was very competitive against Golovkin, Saunders says Monroe Jr went down too easy under pressure.

Monroe Jr, who has won 21 of his 23 professional contests defended his performance and said: “That was 2015. This is 2017. I’m not here to dwell on the past.

“I gave a good account of myself, but at that moment he may have been too big of a moment for me.

“The moment shook me up more than the fight. When you step into an arena and you have 15,000 fans and 14,990 are for the guy you’re fighting.

“That moment can shake you up. I’m human. I’ve always been humble.

“I’ve had a 12 week camp for Billy Joe, but I only got six weeks notice for Golovkin and I also had Thompson and Rosado I had short camps.

“I never had big backers and money guys in my corner to make things happen. So when a shot like that come up you take it.

“Billy Joe has had a great promoter like Frank Warren in his corner. All the fights have been in his own back yard. He hasn’t had to go into a lion’s den with all these screaming fans against him.”

Billy Joe Saunders defends his WBO Middleweight World title against Willie Monroe Jr in the evening’s main event; Ilford Light-Heavyweight Anthony Yarde takes on Norbert Nemesapati for the WBO Intercontinental and European belts and teenage Heavyweight sensation Daniel Dubois takes on AJ Carter for the Vacant Southern Area strap in only his fifth contest